The National Highways Authority of India on Friday came out with two mobile apps -- MyFASTag and FASTag Partner -- as part of its efforts to facilitate availability of the tag towards electronic toll payment.
The government is working on making lanes of all 371 NHAI toll plazas FASTag enabled from October 1 this year.
FASTag is a reloadable tag affixed on a vehicle's windscreen having radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that is linked to a prepaid account for automatic deduction of toll charges and the vehicle is not required to stop at the toll booths for cash transaction.
"The NHAI launched two mobile Apps - MyFASTag and FASTag Partner... To facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection (ETC)," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.
NHAI Chairman Deepak Kumar said the cumbersome method of purchase and recharge of FASTags has been one of the major challenges.
"The mobile apps launched today will ease the process, making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags at the click of a mobile button," he added.
MyFASTag is a consumer app that can be downloaded from both Android and iOS app stores. A consumer can purchase or recharge FASTags on this app, which also helps keep track of transactions and provides for online grievance redressal.
FASTag Partner is a merchant app, the statement said.
"Agencies like common services centre, banking partners and vehicle dealers can sell and enrol FASTag through this app. In addition, the app can also be used to activate the RFID tags that came built in with around 74 lakh cars in the country following the 2013 Gazette Notification in this regard," the statement said.
One lane in every toll plaza will be a dedicated FASTag lane where no other form of payment will be accepted.
The statement said in addition to the above, NHAI has also come up with online sale of FASTags and offline sale through common services centre (CSC) near the toll plazas.
"FASTag can now be purchased online from issuer banks' websites, NHAI website... And will be delivered by courier at the doorstep of the purchaser," the statement added.
More than 6 lakh FASTags have been sold so far.
These initiatives are expected to improve availability and accessibility of FASTags that aim to make travel more convenient, faster and environment-friendly.